This invention relates generally to aquarium tools, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for netting fish.
The use of aquarium fish nets is well known. In particular, as the popularity of fish tanks has increased, the cost of fish for inclusion in aquariums as also increased. To maintain the health of such fish, as well as the aesthetic value of their aquariums, aquariums are routinely cleaned. To reduce the risk of illness or infection to the fish in the aquarium being cleaned, at least some fish are transferred to another location while the aquarium is cleaned. Generally is not desirable for users to touch the fish with their hands when the fish are transferred, such as when the tanks are cleaned.
Accordingly, at least some known fish nets include a scoop net coupled to a handle that enables the user to remain a distance from touching the fish. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,938 to Goldman et al. describes an aquarium fish net that includes a scoop net suspended from a handle. Generally, a user holds the handle of the fishnet and inserts the scoop net into the aquarium water in an attempt to scoop a fish from the water into the scoop net through an open end of the net. However, depending on the size, speed, and/or activity level of the fish, capturing a fish in such a net may be a time-consuming and/or difficult task.
With at least some known fish nets, depending on the size, strength, and/or activity level of the fish, for example, a risk exists that a fish may leap, wriggle, or otherwise escape from the net as it is being transferred from one aquarium to another. To reduce the risk of fish undesirably escaping from the fish net while the fish is being relocated, other known fish nets include mechanisms which allow the user to selectively “close off” the open end of the fish net. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,908 to Blanchard describes a fish netting device that includes a net closure member that is slidably positionable across the open end of the scoop net as the user slides a mechanism forward through the handle. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,906 to Liebling describes a fish net including a cover that is slidably positionable across an open end of the fish net as the user slides an actuator rod through the handle. However, depending on the size and activity of the fish captured within such nets, it may be difficult for a user to close the net with the same hand that is holding the handle. Moreover, because of the position of the fish nets relative to the handle connected to the nets, it may be a time-consuming and/or difficult task to capture a fish depending on the size, speed, and/or activity level of the fish.
In contrast to the above-referenced fish nets, U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,322 to Forest describes an aquarium tool that includes a double net that is coupled to a pair of tong handles in a purse-like configuration. The tongs are moveable to open and close only the open end of the double net while the net remains coupled to, and suspended from, each of the tongs. However, because of the orientation of the net relative to the tong handles, capturing an active fish in the double net may be difficult.